Oral malodor (Halitosis, Fetor ex ora) is a common and disturbing condition, affecting according to some studies about one quarter of the population. This condition may start at any time from early childhood through adolescence, adulthood and old age and may vary in character and severity. Research has pointed to bacterial putrefactive activity as the primary cause of this condition. The bacteria responsible for malodor production are for the most part Gram negative oral bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Prevotella intermedia. These bacteria reside on various locations within the oral cavity (e.g. tongue dorsum, inter-dental space, periodontal pockets, tonsils) and break down salivary and oral proteins into their amino acid building blocks. Some of these amino acids (e.g. methionine, cysteine, tryptophan, lysine) are further metabolized, yielding malodorous volatile products such as methylmercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, indole, skatole and cadaverine. These are foul smelling compounds, which are released during exhalation and speech.
The oral environment is used as a point of entry for drugs and medications. Frequently the medicament passes quickly through the oral cavity to be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. In some of the cases it would be advantageous for the medicament to stay in the oral cavity for a prolonged period of time and to release the active ingredients in a sustained and controlled manner to be swallowed and absorbed in the gastrointestinal system (GIS). It is common knowledge that the pH of the gastrointestinal tract and the oral cavity differ and is a factor affecting the medicaments chemically and physically. It is in some cases desired to keep the medicament in the mild conditions of the oral cavity.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide compositions for treating malodor, and devices for delivery of such compositions as well as other potential medicaments to the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract.